Although 92 GROGs had indicated their intention to turn up, only 82 attended the first Lunch of the 2014/15 season, on a beautiful Indian Summer day. Perhaps the no-shows had opted to enjoy the weather or perhaps they, like Chairman Gordon Wilson’s wife, were disappointed to learn that the guest speaker was Ian Rankin, SRU President, and not Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus novels. It was uplifting to be addressed initially by GROGs Chairman, Roy Dingwall, looking and sounding as close to his own brand of normality as he could hope for. Politically correct as ever, Roy diplomatically asked anyone present intending to vote in a particular way in the coming Referendum to kindly leave the room, except he didn’t say “leave the room”. The guest speaker was delayed on the M8 forcing Chairman Gordon Wilson to play a defensive blinder by padding out his jokes and stories until hunger prevailed and lunch was served without our Top Table guest. However, immediately lunch was finished, SRU President Ian Rankin appeared and, with no time to draw breath, was made to earn the meal he didn’t have. Gordon Wilson introduced Ian, highlighting his impressive rugby credentials, elaborated on by Ian’s story of his rise through the ranks to the highest office, all originating from his complete love of rugby. He ranged easily from the nostalgia of his playing career to his aspirations for the future of Scottish rugby, including the encouraging statement that he considered club rugby to be the foundation of the sport. Like his predecessors, he sees rugby being hugely dependent on volunteer input with the encouragement of youth rugby in all clubs. Club rugby is not dead or dying, he assured us, but professional rugby is necessary to achieve and maintain high standards leading, he hoped, to great victories and Scotland being coached by Scottish coaches. There were more questions than there was time to hear them and they were all dealt with in a relaxed and honest manner. In a break from tradition, Ian did not leave with a GROGs tie and a bottle of GROGs whisky, because these had been forgotten. However, he did get a promise that he would receive them …… eventually!